Improvement in snow-plows



J. B. WILLIAMS,

Car-Track Clearer.

Patented Sept. 20, 1864.

Witnesses:

' lnventen w/Mfew UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

.IEB-EMIAH B. \VILLIAMS, OF MADISON, VISUONSIN.

IMPROVEMENT IN SNOW-FLOWS.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be itknown that I, J EREMIAH B. WILLIAMS, of MadisomDane county, andState ot' Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Snow-Flows for Removing` Snow from Railways; and I do hereby declarethat the following` is a full, clear, and exact dcscriptitn thereof,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of thisspecification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, in which-Figure lis a perspective view; Fig. 2, a top plan view, and Fig. 3 aplan view of a modified form of the same.

To enable others skilled in the art to construct and use my invention, Iwill proceed to describe it.

A represents the forward truck of a car. To the front of this car A issecured by a suitable hinge or pivot-joint a snow-plow, B, consisting ofa metallic scoop or plate projecting forward, the front end resting uponor just above the rails of the track, and its rear portion being curvedupward and outward in the form of a double-mold-board plow, as shown.The corners at the rear of this plate B are curved slightly forward, asshown at a.

C represents a scoop-wheel of peculiar construction. This wheel has fouror more wings projecting radially from its hub or sh aft, which wingsare curved on their edges somewhat in the form of a scoop, as clearlyshown in the various figures. By having the wings of the wheels thusformed they are adapted to the concave surface of the plow B, so as tosweep close to its surface in their revolution, and at the same timepresent acurved or scoop-shaped surface to the snow, by which the latteris more readily seized and more thoroughly removed. Two of these wheelsare mounted upon their respective shafts b in such a way that theyoccupy a position above and in front ot' thc plow B, the wings of saidwheels revolvingin close proximity to the upper surface of theplow B.The shaft b extends through anl opening in the rear portion of the plowB, as shown in Fig. l, and bein g suitably mounted in the frame of thetruck A extends back to a point near the rear axle thereof, as shown ,inFig. l. A beveled gear, c, on the axle D gears into the pinion e on theend ofthe shafts b, and as the car advances motion is thus conveyed tothe wheels C.

Fig. 3 represents my invention applied to a car, in which the snow-plowB is so constructed as to deliver the snow taken up by it all on side ofthe track. This is accomplished by so forming or curving the scoopportion of the plow that its wing or mold-board portion shall standdiagonally to the track in a single direction instead of in twodirections, as in the Figs. l and 2. This is intended to be used whenthere is a doubletrack railway, in which case it is necessary that thesnow should be delivered on the side opposite to that of the adjoiningtrack. Either one or two wheels may be used with this form of plow, asmay be found most expedient.

It will be observed that there are two forms of wheels shown. (See Fig.2, in which C and 02 indicate the two wheels respectively.) C is shownlonger than O2, and has the rear end of its wings rounded, as shown inFigs. l and 2, by which it is brought in closer proximity to the plow Bat that point. A lever, h, is secured to the platform or body of thecar. A rod, i, connects this lever to the plow B, by

- which means theplow may be raised or lowered, as may be desired.

The operation is as follows Vhen the track is obstructed by drifts orbanks of snow, the car provided with my improvement is put in motion,and as it advances into the drift the scoop or plow B scrapes the snowup, and lifting it from the track forces it back upon the plow, wherethe revolving wheels G seize hold of it by means of their scoopshapedwings and throw it outward to cach side clear from the track. Thesewings may be made of such width as to cause them to interlock oroverlap, care being taken to soadjust them upon their shafts that thewings shall not come in contact.

In the ordinary snowplow, if the drift be high the forcing of the plowinto it only serves to pack the snow more solidly on the track. By myimprovement the plow is relieved from the pressureof the accumulatedmass of snow by means of the revolving wheels, which, revolving rapidly,lift the snow therefrom and remove it to either side. Even in the caseof a hard drift the wheels C will cut or borc a assage into or throughvthe drift, cutting and.

)osening up the mass, when, by the combined ction of the wheels C andthe plow B, the now will be displaced and crowded to each side f thetrack.

If desired, the scraper d and brush f may be ecured to the truck in sucha. position as to lear the rail of any particles of snow which lay beleft adhering after the passage of the low B.l v

Having thus fully described my invention, :s construction and operation,what I claim as ew, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. The digging or excavating wheel C, having its wings attached in linewith its axis, and having the outer edges of said wings formedscoop-shaped or curved, as shown.

2. The wheel C, in combination with the plow B, constructed andoperating substantially as set forth.

3. Pivoting the plow B in such a way that it can be raised or lowered bymeans of the lever h and rod t', substantially as shown.'

JEREMIAH B. WILLIAMS.

Witnesses:

WV. C. DODGE, R. D. O. SMITH.

